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Dodgers Make Shohei Ohtani Announcement After Padres Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Gavin M. Groe | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 3:02 AM ET

The Los Angeles Dodgers have continued to assert their dominance in the NL West, sitting atop the division with a 46-29 record that has expanded their lead to 4.5 games over the San Francisco Giants (41-33) and the San Diego Padres (39-34).

A momentum shift was evident in their latest series win against San Diego, where a dramatic walk-off home run by Will Smith in the ninth inning lifted the Dodgers to a 4-3 victory, marking their third straight win over the Padres.

The Dodgers currently lead MLB with 5.6 runs per game, 9.1 hits per game, a team batting average of .265, an OPS of .801, and the most home runs in the league.

Despite the hot streak at the plate, the Dodgers’ pitching remains an area in need of a boost, with a team ERA of 4.19 that ranks 21st in MLB. However, the recent return of Shohei Ohtani to the mound has brought optimism that help is here.

Pitching one inning against San Diego as an opener on Monday, Ohtani made his long awaited return to pitching after right elbow surgery in 2023. On Wednesday night, the Dodgers made an exciting announcement on X, revealing that Ohtani will again take the mound Sunday against the Washington Nationals.

Here are the Dodger probables for the Nationals series:

• Friday - Clayton Kershaw
• Saturday - Dustin May
• Sunday - Shohei Ohtani
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 19, 2025

Looking back at his last full season on the mound with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani posted a 10-5 record with a 3.14 ERA over 132 innings while recording 167 strikeouts. Ohtani’s bat has already made a significant impact as he has emerged as the best hitter on the team since signing a ten-year $700 million contract last offseason, currently posting a .292 average with 25 home runs over 73 games.

His two-way contributions have been instrumental in solidifying the Dodgers’ offensive production, and with his impending return to the mound, Los Angeles will look to maintain their stance in a tightly contested division.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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